Tough contest is expected in NA-7 and NA-8 constituencies in district Charsadda as Awami National Party and Qaumi Watan Party will fight tooth and nail on these constituencies from the district in the May 11 elections.
While other mainstream parties, including Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl, Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan People Party have also fielded their candidates for each constituency to split ballots of the ANP and QWP in district Charssada. The ANP Central President, Asfandyar Wali Khan, will contest from his native constituency NA-7, opponent candidate of Qaumi Watan Party Ms Najma Zeb, wife of former members of provincial assembly Alamzeb Umarzai, as her husband gunned down by unknown people.
The Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl, Maulana Gohar Shah, Arshad Khan from Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Fazal Mohammad, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Kaleem Akbar Durrani, and Khanimullah from Pakistan People's Party will also contest from the same constituency NA-7.
On NA-08 Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao will face ANP candidate and former MNA Taimur Khan, Sajjad Anwar Khan of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, Wasifullah Khan of Pakistan Peoples Party PPP, Maulana Abdul Mastaan Khan of Jamaat-i-Islami, Dr Ilahi Jan of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Anwar Taj of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf will try their luck.
Sherpao, who is brother of PPP founding member and ex-governor Hayat Muhammad Khan Sherpao, twice held the office of Chief Minister of the province and served as Federal Minister for Water and Power. He also remained the PPP's provincial chief for some time, but later formed his own faction, which later renamed as QWP in 2012.
The former member of National Assembly Taimur Khan son of Dawood Khan and grandson of Abdul Akbar Khan, among few feudal lords of the province, who is supporting ANP, but the Mohmand tribe against him in the area.
Those parties fielded their candidates on PK-17, include Sultan Mohammad Khan from Qaumi Watan Party will contest against the candidate of Awami National Party Mohammad Ahmad Khan. While former ANP MPA Adul Shakoor who has recently joined Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, PPP candidate Qaisar Jamal, Misbahullah of JI, PTI candidate Abid Jan and PML (N) candidate Mian Hamayun Shah, will also contest elections from this constituency PK-17.
Arshad Ali Umarzi of Qaumi Wata Patry will face former provincial minister Barrister Arshad Abdullah as candidate of Awami National Party, Mohammad Hashim Khan of JUI-Fazl, Taimur Khan Khattak of PPP, Ihsanullah Khan of PML-Nawaz, Akbar Jan of JI and Tariq Adam Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf on PK-18 district Charsadda.
On PK-19 Khalil Khan of Qaumi Watan Party will contest against ANP candidate Khalil Bashir Umarzi, Naeem Khan of PPP, Elahi Jan of JUI-F, Mohammad Babar Khan of PTI, Pir Masood Jan of Jamaat-i-Islami and Aurangzeb Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
The PK-20, PK-21 and PK-22 constituencies were won by the QWP in 2008. However, in the by-election ANP's Taimur elected on PK-20 seat. This time, the QWP had allotted ticket to Mohammad Khalid Khan from constituency PK-20, who was a runner-up in the by-election as an independent.
The JUI-F has given a party ticket to Mufti Gohar who lost the 2008 election while the ANP has supported Khadim Shah Safi, a resident of Mohmand, to counter Khalid Mohmand.
In this constituency, the Communist Mazdoor Kisan and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Parties also have a solid vote bank. Jamaat-i-Islami candidate Samiullah for PK-21 and Qari Shah Hussain PK 22 are also aspirants for these seats.
As for PK-21, QWP Provincial President and ex-MPA Sikandar Sherpao will contest against ANP leader and former special advisor to the chief minister, Syed Masoom Shah. In 2008, Sikandar had defeated Masoom Shah while Fakhre Alam Khan, a journalist-turned-JUI-F leader, and PML-N's Mushtaram Shah will also contest the elections.
Masoom Shah has done a great contribution for the welfare of the community during the past five years and will easily defeat his opponent Sikandar as independent candidate. Journalist Fakhre Alam on the other hand has the support of Javed Khan's family, who recently joined the JUI-F. It is to be noted here that if JUI-F agree on seat to adjustment with Qaumi Watan Party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there are bright chances of success for both the parties.
Comments
Comments are closed.